Bronze votive tablet
Unknown Artist
ca. 2nd century CE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H.: 1 3/4 x 5 1/16 in. (4.4 x 12.9 cm)
Classification
Bronzes
Culture & Period
Roman · Imperial
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1921
Accession Number
21.88.172
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze votive tablet, by an unknown artist around the 2nd century during Rome's Imperial period, measures a modest 1¾ x 5⅛ inches—small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.otive tablets like this were personal offerings dedicated to deities, often left at temples or shrines as thanks for answered prayers or to seek divine favor. Its compact size reflects the everyday devotion of ordinary Romans, bridging the gap between grand imperial monuments and private piety. Bronze, a durable and prestigious medium in antiquity, was ideal for such ritual objects, cast through lost-wax t...